The surprising reasons that more golf carts are becoming car replacements
In recent years, a surprising trend has begun gaining momentum across the US: Golf carts are being increasingly adopted as primary modes of transportation in communities, beach towns, and other areas. The traditional image of golf carts as mere mobility aides for silver-haired retirees to traverse the greens is shifting rapidly. If you’re skeptical, I can’t blame you. But the times are changing, so let’s dive deeper into why golf carts are making excellent car replacements for so many people.
Embracing the simplicity and efficiency of golf carts
For starters, golf carts are the epitome of simplicity and efficiency when it comes to four-wheeled electric vehicles. They are designed to move people around and little more. Forget the heated seats or the infotainment systems (though to be fair you’ll find high-end golf carts with those features, too).
These mobility buggies are compact, easy to operate, and consume significantly less power compared to conventional cars. That makes them an ideal choice for short, regular commutes such as neighborhood errands or trips to nearby recreational spots.
Moreover, electric golf carts are an eco-friendly alternative to gas-guzzling cars. They can help reduce your carbon footprint by operating on rechargeable batteries that sip away at energy compared to conventional combustion-powered engines that burn through gas and pollute the air we breathe. This shift toward sustainability, coupled with increased vehicle costs and higher gas prices, makes golf carts even more attractive from the economic side, in addition to their simplicity and ease of operation.
Versatility and customizability
Golf carts are also incredibly versatile and customizable. They can be adapted to carry not just passengers, but also cargo, making them useful for a number of different tasks from hauling groceries to transporting gardening tools.
In fact, many golf carts are actually used for more utility-oriented tasks instead of just as people movers. There are entire lines of utility-focused golf carts that come with truck-style beds.
The janky buggies of yesteryear have also been majorly upgraded with features that make them feel more like traditional cars, at least from the perspective of comfort and features.
These mobility alternatives are no longer confined to basic golf course navigation or cruising Del Boca Vista quickly enough to be first in line at dinner for the early bird special. Today, they come with various optional features such as rain covers and removable doors, upgraded upholstery, entertainment systems, custom paint jobs and even lift kits. Lifted golf carts are one of the fastest growing categories and are even finding popularity among younger users.
We’re also starting to see more street-legal golf carts that meet the requirements of low-speed vehicles (LSVs) and thus can be registered, tagged, and insured for road use. All of this variation means users can personalize their carts to reflect their style and needs.
Accessibility and community
Golf carts are easily accessible and foster a sense of community in many areas that have adapted their towns and communities to widespread cart use. In many towns and retirement communities, they promote slow-paced living and encourage more face-to-face interactions. Cities like Peachtree City in Georgia have become famous for massive adoption of golf carts and the inclusion of specific roads just for them. Island communities like Key Biscayne have also seen a huge uptick in golf cart usage, to the point where many homes have a second smaller garage door and section of the garage just for a golf cart. The island has even had to revamp its local laws to address the ballooning number of carts on its roads.
Such heavy golf cart use helps reduce the physical barriers that come with traditional vehicles, providing an open and friendly mode of transportation.
Additionally, for the elderly or those with mobility issues, golf carts provide an easy-to-access mode of transportation. The low speed combined with the ease of getting in and out of the vehicle make it a convenient and safe choice for many drivers who have given up their keys and no longer feel comfortable driving conventional cars.
Economic considerations
While the initial purchase price of a golf cart might seem steep, it’s important to factor in the long-term cost savings. Many people are shocked by the price of these vehicles, which generally start at around US $8,000 and can quickly increase to $12,000 or more when including nicer accessories.
Golf carts have major cost advantages though, including that they are less expensive to maintain and operate than traditional cars. When you consider the cost of gas, insurance, and regular car maintenance, a golf cart can often be a more economical choice.
Safety and regulation
While golf carts are generally safe to operate, it’s important to understand local laws and regulations. Many communities have embraced light electric four-wheelers, and thus, have specific rules in place for their use. While they can’t match the speed of cars, they often include safety features like seat belts, headlights, taillights, turn signals, and mirrors, making them somewhat more suitable for local, low-speed travel in light traffic areas, where allowed by law.
It is important to remember though that most golf carts are not legally allowed to operate on public roads, unless a local ordinance has made specific exceptions for them. Some manufacturers have begun producing LSV-edition golf carts that do meet federal requirements for on-road usage, and we’ll be discussing that topic in-depth soon in a multi-part LSV series next week.
One other aspect of safety to consider isn’t just that of the occupants, but also of those around the vehicle. Pedestrians and cyclists are at more danger than ever before due to the increasing size and weight of vehicles in the US. The single largest factor in determining the fatality rate of crashes between cars and cyclists/pedestrians is car speed. Slower-moving vehicles as well as lighter vehicles make everyone around them safer, and that’s another important consideration to keep in mind.
The future of golf carts
Looking forward, the popularity of golf carts as everyday vehicles doesn’t seem to be waning. As more communities adopt golf cart-friendly policies and infrastructure, and as manufacturers continue to innovate with improved performance, comfort, and safety features, the role of golf carts is set to expand.
In conclusion, it’s safe to say that the days of golf carts being just for golfers are long gone. They are an efficient, versatile, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional cars, particularly suited for short-distance travel and community living. As we tread further into an era of sustainability, these compact vehicles are emerging as a popular choice for those seeking to minimize their environmental impact, simplify their lives, and strengthen their local connections.
They might not be appropriate for everyone, but many communities with local golf cart laws and with light traffic roads could serve as perfect locations to replace many vehicle trips with golf carts. So next time you’re considering a new vehicle, why not give the humble golf cart a second look?
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Are you wondering what kind of results you’d get if you added a home solar system to your roof? Homeowners are sharing their results online — and the real-world data might surprise you!
In a recent post to r/Solar, a Reddit user going by DontBuyBitcoin shared a screenshot indicating that their newly-installed ~11.5 kW system produced over 1,700 kWh of electricity in October. “Pretty surprised by the production of the system I got,” writes DontBuyBitcoin. “11.48KW. I cant wait to see what JUNE-AUGUST [2026] going to look like 😍 I wish SolarEdge will make their app better looking with more functionality”
Home solar energy chart
Other Redditors were quick to share in the enthusiasm. “Congratulations!!! Great numbers,” wrote LegalNet4337. “We got 1.6 MWh with a 14.45 kW system. East and West facing panels in SoCal.”
That 1,700 kWh is nothing to sneeze at. Based on the current national average electricity price of about $0.17/kWh (in AUG2025), DontBuyBitcoin’s admittedly large-ish system translates to ~$290 of potential savings. In a higher rate state like Illinois, with a projected 2026 kWh rate that’s closer to $0.18/kWh, that’s ~$306/mo.
We expect retail electricity prices to residential customers will average 17 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) nationwide in 2025, a 4% increase over 2024, and then rise to approximately 18 cents/kWh in 2026. This rise continues a trend in which residential electricity prices have increased at an average annual rate of 5% each year since the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in retail electricity prices this year comes as the cost of natural gas to the electric power sector was up more than 40% in 1H25 compared with a year earlier, with similar year-over-year increases forecast for the remainder of 2025. The average cost of natural gas for power generation in our forecast increases another 17% in 2026.
Those are big numbers, but 11-15 kW rooftop solar systems are big. Significantly bigger, in fact, than the US average, ~6.6 kW in 2024 – but you don’t have to have a big system in order to post big numbers. Superior weather conditions and perfect PV panel placement can also get the job done, as another Redditor found.
“The last 2 days we have had perfect weather here in South Florida and I have been able to get over 30 kWh from a 5 kW system with a 3.8 kW inverter. This is the highest I have seen since getting PTO in September,” wrote Redditor dlewis23, who shared another SolarEdge graph. “I am super happy with seeing over 30 kWh in a single day.”
30 kW/day from home solar
Taken altogether, these real-world snapshots prove that whether it’s a modest 5 kW array or a beefy 10+ kW setup, homeowners out in the real world are seeing meaningful, measurable differences from their home solar installations. And, with retail electricity prices projected to keep on rising through the decade, every kilowatt counts.
Electrek’s Take
When we ran our “Why did you choose to go solar?” survey back in September, only 32.6% of respondents chose, “Lowering my monthly utility bills” as their primary motivation to go solar. That result proved, in my mind, that Electrek readers are just better people than most, and seem to be willing to spend a little more to do something positive for their environment and their community.
That said, wasn’t it no less a thinker than Albert Einstein who said, “Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe” (Google it.)? And, with a 5% rate hike compounding every year from now until the AI and data center bubbles burst, the impact energy rates may have on all our pocketbooks may be enough to put “Lowering my monthly utility bills” back on top.
If and when that happens: be smart, get several quotes, and understand the difference between buying and leasing your PV system (especially if you plan on selling your home in the foreseeable future).
SOURCES: Reddit, EIA; featured image via Tesla.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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It seems like the writing was already on the wall last week when Volvo moved to make its Luminar-supplied LiDAR system an option – there are now reports that the Swedish car brand is set to ditch LiDAR tech entirely in 2026.
In a recent SEC filing following a missed interest payment on its 2L notes, Luminar confirmed that Volvo’s new ES90 and EX90 flagship models (along with the new Polestar 3) would no longer be offered with LiDAR from Luminar. The move signals a full reversal on the safety tech that had started as standard equipment, then became an option, and is now (according to reports from CarScoops) gone altogether.
In a statement, a Volvo Cars USA spokesperson added the decision was reportedly made, “to limit the company’s supply chain risk exposure, and it is a direct result of Luminar’s failure to meet its contractual obligations to Volvo Cars.”
This is what Luminar had to say about the current, icy state of the two companies’ relationship as of the 31OCT filing:
The Company’s largest customer, Volvo Cars (“Volvo”), has informed us that, beginning in April 2026, Volvo will no longer make our Iris LiDAR standard on its EX90 and ES90 vehicles (although Iris will remain an option). Volvo also informed the Company that it has deferred the decision as to whether to include LiDAR, including Halo (Luminar’s next generation LiDAR under development), in its next generation of vehicles from 2027 to 2029 at the earliest. As a result of these actions, the Company has made a claim against Volvo for significant damages and has suspended further commitments of Iris LiDAR products for Volvo pending resolution of the dispute. The Company is in discussions with Volvo concerning the dispute; however, there can be no assurance that the dispute will be resolved favorably or at all. Furthermore, there can be no guarantee that any claim or litigation against Volvo will be successful or that the Company will be able to recover damages from Volvo.
As a result of the foregoing, the Company is suspending its guidance for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
On November 14, Luminar confirmed that Volvo had terminated its contract altogether, in a blow that could leave Luminar rethinking its long-term future and planning litigation against its biggest ex-customer.
The news follows a host of significant upgrades to the EX90 that include a new, more dependable electronic control module (ECM) and 800V system architecture for faster charging and upgraded ADAS that improves the automatic emergency steering functions and Park Pilot assistant.
Electrek’s Take
You can’t spend years telling everyone you’re miles ahead because you have LiDAR, then ditch LiDAR, and pretend no one is going to call you out on it. They had better hope they don’t up on Mark Rober’s YouTube channel doing a Wile E. Coyote impression (above).
That said, it’ll be interesting to see if ditching the LiDAR has a negative impact there. Or, frankly, whether ditching the LiDAR and its heavy compute loads will actually help mitigate some of the EX90’s niggling software issues. It could go either way, really – and I’m not quite sure which it will be. Let us know which way you think it’ll go in the comments.
SOURCE: Luminar, via SEC filing; featured image by Volvo.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The new John Deere Z370RS Electric ZTrak zero turn electric riding mower promises all the power and performance Deere’s customers have come to expect from its quiet, maintenance-free electric offerings – but with an all new twist: removable batteries.
The latest residential ZT electric mower from John Deere features a 42″ AccelDeep mower deck for broad, capable cuts through up to 1.25 acres of lawn per charge, which is about what you’d expect from the current generation of battery-powered Deeres – but this is where the new Z370RS Electric ZTrak comes into its own.
Flip the lid behind the comfortably padded yellow seat and you’ll be greeted by six (6!) 56V ARC Lithium batteries from electric outdoor brand EGO. Those removable batteries can be swapped out of the Z370RS for fresh ones in seconds, getting you back to work in less time than it takes to gravity pour a tank of gas.
And, because they’re EGO batteries, they can be used in any 56V-powered EGO-brand tools and minibikes for unprecedented cross-brand interoperability. Tools and minibikes that, it should be noted, can be purchased at John Deere dealers across the country.
The upsell scripts write themselves, kids. And when you start your dialing, tell your prospective customers their new Z370RS Electric ZTrak electric mower lists for $6,499, and if you order now we can bundle it with EGO minibike for the kiddos – just in time for the holidays!
Electrek’s Take
When John Deere launched the first Z370R, Peter Johnson wrote that electrifying lawn equipment needs to be a priority, citing EPA data that showed gas-powered lawnmowers making up five percent of the total air pollution in the US (despite covering far less than 5% of the total miles driven on that gas). “Moreover,” he writes, “it takes about 800 million gallons of gasoline each year (with an additional 17 million gallons spilled) to fuel this equipment.”
It should go without saying, then, that states like California, which are banning small off-road combustion engines, have the right idea.
SOURCE | IMAGES: John Deere.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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